This list of the top 25 military friendly online colleges in 2019 was written to help you find the best possible use for your hard earned military benefits, whether active duty or veteran. We selected schools based in part on the equity each school applies its benefits for its military and veteran college students. Also we relied no the most up-to-date data supplied by universities. As a student having chosen military affiliated benefits for your academic support and guidance, you should know which non-military institutions offer the most support services for your unique needs. We measure military-friendliness by prioritizing schools that utilize services and/or personnel dedicated to the needs of military or veteran students such as special military student advisors, GI Bill services, and participation with the Yellow Ribbon Program. Points awarded for the top 25 military friendly online colleges for 2019 thusly:
3 points – separate web address for veterans’ services
3 points – tuition rate matches tuition assistance allowance
2 points – discount available for military personnel or veterans
1 point – hourly tuition under $500 per credit hour
4 points – school reputation recognized nationally
2 points – school reputation recognized regionally
3 points – dedicated staff for veteran concerns who are veterans themselves
2 points – dedicated liaison between veterans and administration
Featured Programs
#25 – Bridgewater State University
Bridgewater, Massachusetts
Points: 6
Website
Bridgewater State University’s Military and Veteran Student Services Department aims to serve as a complete resource available for all military affiliated students. They work to make sure students are making the most of the government provided benefits and can refer students for disability, counseling, and other campus and community services. Tuition and fees for the online degree completion programs at Bridgewater State University are $398.36 per instructional hour. The school allows up to 90 transfer credits from other four year institutions of higher learning.
#24 – Salem State University
Salem, Massachusetts
Points:
Salem State University takes Veterans Affairs very seriously, sponsoring a writers’ workshop exclusively for vets and hosting a student veteran organization. At each point of contact in the university, the school has a dedicated veterans liaison (advising, admissions, financial aid, etc) to help address the special needs of students recently separated from the military. Online out of state undergraduate tuition for Salem State University is $562.15 per academic unit. The school offers three online bachelor’s degrees in addition to traditional and evening on campus programs.
#23 – Upper Iowa University
Fayette, Iowa
Points:
Offering six eight week terms a year, the online studies program at Upper Iowa University allows you to finish your degree wherever your career may send you. Add in a generous deployment policy that allows refunds for unfinished terms due to deployment and you get a very military friendly institution of higher learning. Upper Iowa University gives all military personnel and family members with DoD ID a 10% discount on tuition for a rate of $408 per credit hour.
#22 – University of Massachusetts Lowell
Lowell, Massachusetts
Points:
The Veterans Vocational Rehabilitation/Education Program at the University of Massachusetts Lowell provides help in selecting an academic or vocational aspiration and/or selection of an institution at which to pursue those goals. Another helpful service the school provides is the Solution Center, which can help you ascertain how best to fund your education, apply for financial aid, or order a transcript, for instance. Tuition for the online undergraduate courses of study ranges from $380-$385 per unit of credit.
#21 – Mayville State University
Mayville, North Dakota
Points:
Primarily focused on education degrees, the online division of Mayville State University charges $295 per unit of instruction for in state or out of state students. The veterans section of the MSU website is a good source for various funding options available to military connected students at this institution, including private scholarship and grant opportunities. Mayville State University is a member institution of Servicemembers Opportunity College and participates with the North Dakota National Guard Tuition Waiver Program.
#20 – Penn State University
University Park, Pennsylvania
Points:
Employing a full time Military Support Team whose purpose is to facilitate success in transitioning students and those still serving, Pennsylvania State University is consistently recognized for its treatment of military students. Participation in a webinar about PSU’s services available to military students will result in the waiver of the application fee for undergraduate study. The school offers college credit for relevant military experience. Pennsylvania State is approved for GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon Program funds.
#19 – Utah State University
Logan, Utah
Points:
Utah State University consistently receives recognition for being “military friendly.” The Veterans Resource Office at USU can help eligible students with professional, educational and personal concerns. The school has specially trained staff members to address the needs of military connected students, and it extends a liberal withdrawal policy for students facing a sudden deployment. Out of state students who take only online courses at Utah State University do not pay any fees, only tuition. Free tutoring is available for service members and veterans.
#18 – Drexel University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Points:
Drexel University participates with the Yellow Ribbon Program, which allows qualified veterans to attend pricier private institutions of higher learning at no cost. The school also offers exclusive education benefits for members of the Pennsylvania National Guard. There is also a straight discount of up to 40% on the tuition rate for veterans, active duty service members, and their families. Drexel University’s online undiscounted undergraduate tuition rate is $501 a credit hour. The discount applies to bachelor’s, master’s, certificates, and doctorates.
#17 – Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Points:
Military students at Louisiana State University are eligible for up to $1200 a year to be used for tutoring purposes. The Office of Veterans Affairs at LSU is responsible for processing enrollment certification for VA and GI Bill benefits every term the student is enrolled. The school offers graduate degrees fully online and tuition starts at $481 per credit unit. No out of state tuition is charged for online study. Louisiana State University also accepts Louisiana National Guard or Dependents’ State Aid exemptions.
#16 – Embry Riddle Aeronautical University
Daytona Beach, Florida
Points:
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University offers multiple funding options for military and veteran students. From application fee waivers to the Yellow Ribbon Program, this school participates with many programs to educate those currently serving in or separated from the US Armed Forces. They extend the reduced tuition rate of $250 per credit unit offered to service members to family members and spouses as well. Embry Riddle Aeronautical University has a generous drop/refund policy for students who must drop classes due to changes in deployment status.
#15 – Arizona State University
Tempe, Arizona
Points:
10
Website
Home to the Pat Tillman Veterans Center, Arizona State University offers virtual job fairs for veterans. The school accepts both CCAF and JST transcripts. The JST is not used in the admissions process but is evaluated for eligible transfer credit. Arizona State University accepts Tuition Assistance and GI Bill benefits. The website of the Pat Tillman Veterans Center is a one stop shop for forms and benefits, as well as information about the ASU Veterans Education Fund and other scholarship opportunities.
Featured Programs
#14 – Bellevue University
Bellevue, Nebraska
Points:
10
Website
Bellevue University kicks off the admissions process with an evaluation of military service to see who qualifies for any college credit, saving money right off the bat with fewer hours to pay for. Oh, and the evaluation is also free. As are the CLEP exams. They also offer a military preferred tuition rate of $250 per unit of credit for service members and their spouses on more than two dozen bachelor’s degrees. Bellevue University also houses the Military Veterans Support Center which can help transitioning students with mentoring, career counseling and even a housing allowance.
#13 – Western Governors University
Salt Lake City, Utah
Points:
10
Website
Western Governors University doesn’t use the credit hour model, so they don’t “transfer in” credit, but they will review ACE approved transcripts and waive any requirements that match up to sufficiently completed coursework. They also recognize CLEP and DANTES credit. With WGU’s low tuition rate, most government provided benefits are enough to cover tuition, fees, and books fully. Western Governors University enjoys approval of the DoD and VA for benefits to be applied to every degree they offer. A 6 month term’s undergraduate tuition at this school is just $3,225.
#12 – Central Texas College
Killeen, Texas
Points:
10
Website
Central Texas College allows the transfer in of up to 45 credits towards a bachelor’s in the field of your choice. Undergraduate hourly tuition is $235 for this school. The staff of the Eagles On Call Center can help design a degree plan that takes full advantage of credit earned during service and speed you on your way to a promotion or a bachelor’s degree. Central Texas College also contains a VetSuccess Center on campus that works closely with the US Department of Veterans Affairs.
#11 – Indiana University Bloomington
Richmond, Indiana
Points:
11
Website
Indiana University offers a waiver of out of state tuition for active-duty and recently separated students who qualify. The school offers a number of options for students facing a deployment mid-term. The Center for Veteran and Military Students at IUB is a hub for everything from completing your registration to free math tutoring. Out of state hourly undergraduate tuition at Indiana University Bloomington is $1,066.15 per unit of instruction. For online study at IUB, it all starts with a phone call to Veterans Services.
#10 – University of North Texas
Denton Texas
Points:
11
Website
By filling out a simple online form, the University of North Texas can put you in contact with a peer mentor who can help streamline the often complicated process that is applying for college and earned government benefits simultaneously. This service is available at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Student Veterans Services at the University of North Texas is operated under the auspices of the Division of Student Affairs and includes contacts in tutoring, counseling and other resources necessary for academic success.
#9 – University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas
Points:
11
Website
The University of Kansas offers an online Military Transition certificate meant to ease the change from military life to the civilian one. Out of state tuition for undergraduate work is $879.75 per credit hour. The University of Kansas is home to the Lt. Gen. William K. Jones Military-Affiliated Student Center which acts as a nexus for connecting eligible students with the services and resources they need to succeed to their utmost. Completion of basic training qualifies students for up to 4 hours of college credit. Other experiences can add up to more.
#8 – Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, Mississippi
Points:
11
Website
Home to the G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery Center for America’s Veterans, Mississippi State University supports veterans through this very active resource center. There are more than a dozen scholarship opportunities for military connected students available through the veterans center. Outreach is another focus of veteran support at Mississippi State University, connecting veterans with students services through liaisons and reaching out into the community. Online tuition for undergraduate study is $474.50 per credit hour for residents and out of state students, alike.
#7 – Park University
Parkville, Missouri
Points:
11
Website
Park University allows the transfer of up to 75 credit hours from the Joint Service Transcript or equivalent. They offer services and discounts for those currently serving, veterans, and family members. The applicable tuition rates are $250 per hour of instruction for active duty service members and their family members and $339 per credit hour for veterans. Park University employs veterans to staff the Global Warrior Center which can help military students with counseling and educational concerns.
#6 – Thomas Edison State University
Trenton, New Jersey
Points:
11
Website
Thomas Edison State University chooses to focus on degree completion, rather than course completion, to help move the student onward and not just through. With terms beginning every month and no on-campus requirement, the school works hard to be flexible for the modern military attached student. The undergraduate tuition rate for all active duty students not enrolled in nursing courses is $250 per credit unit. Further, Thomas Edison State University strives to meet the needs of active duty students is to maximize opportunities for college credit through transfer, work experience, or CLEP.
#5 – University of Maryland University College
Adelphi, Maryland
Points:
11
Website
The University of Maryland University College was begun in 1947 to serve the educational needs of the US military serving in Europe after WWII. The school formulates their military specific tuition rate of $250 per undergraduate credit hour so that Tuition Assistance covers 100% of the cost. There are a variety of benefits for service members, veterans, and family members. The University of Maryland University College employs special enrollment advisors specifically to advise the particular needs of military students.
#4 – Saint Leo University
Saint Leo, Florida
Points:
11
Website
Saint Leo University employs a VA Certifying Officer at every installment to ease transitions and make sure students receive the full benefits they are entitled to. The school has a very flexible policy to work around deployments, with online or CD-Rom class options available. The Office of Veteran Student Services at Saint Leo University focuses on transition, reintegration and academics to ensure student success. The school offers an online active-duty military tuition rate of $250 per unit of credit.
#3 – Colorado State University
Greenwood Village, Colorado
Points:
12
Website
Colorado State University utilizes an early alert system to find struggling students before the semester has progressed beyond the point of no return. Employing a dedicated task force for the unique concerns of military affiliated students, the school offers career coaching and heavy duty support through the entire job search process. Colorado State University offers a 10% discount on tuition for eligible service members, veterans, and family members. That discount is applied to the already low tuition rate of $350 per credit unit.
#2 – Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, Kentucky
Points:
12
Website
Eligible military students at Western Kentucky University receive free textbooks through the Textbooks for Troops program. Active duty service members are also eligible for the reduced tuition rate of $250 per unit of instruction. The school also provides a Veterans Resource Center for military, veterans and dependents. The center has an all military connected staff and works to connect students to resources in the community like counseling or CLEP preparation. The Veteran Resource Center at Western Kentucky University also employs CanDoo, a Golden Retriever service dog.
#1 – Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana
Points:
13
Website
The Veterans Affairs office at Ball State University is there to help with the re-certification of benefits required for all military connected students who go to school under government auspices. The staff in this office are veterans themselves, helping them understand the needs of this population in a keener way. The state of Indiana also has a special benefit for the children of disabled veterans, exempting them from tuition and fees at post-secondary institutions in the Hoosier state.
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